CD Reviews

Musically talented midwestern garage band from the 60s

tvan97@prodigy.net | florida | 02/13/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Frost released 3 albums for Vanguard (a label which always carefully picked their artists) in the 60s, of which this was the 3rd. Please see the reviews under the band's first album "Frost Music" and 2nd (live)album, "Rock and Roll Music". I totally agree with the reviewer who said that the Frost were alot like their Michigan counterparts Iggy & the Stooges and the MC-5 in terms of energy, but I think the Frost were much more musically focused and talented. Certainly Dick Wagner wrote some great songs and was/is an awesome guitar player. Wagner went on play with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, and Peter Gabriel.On the album, the real standouts are the first 3 cuts. "Dark as Night" is Classic. Great ragged rock guitar, great midwestern angst driven lyrics ("Black as night, hold dark candles to your face. Wonder why we never made the grade, Something always standing in our way."), and great long extended fade out at the end that has a sort of "Hey Jude" quality to it. 15,000 MILES THROUGH THE EYES OF A BEATLE is reference to the bands touring schedule and their use of the famous VOX Beatle amplifiers. More great lyrics like "You'll feel just like the sun upon the sand!" Alright!!!The title piece is also excellent, and shows just how much more talented the Frost were in terms of proficiency on their respective instruments & their ability to arrange songs.Personally, I'd start with Frost Music. If you like that, you'll probably like this."

Frost is Hot!

Mark D. Boucher | USA | 12/11/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was suprised this is still around,as a kid I played it till it got new grooves! It's heavy and hard early 70's ROCK!"

Stunning!

Shelby Lambert | Bethany, Oklahoma USA | 01/24/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Overall, this album is a very mature progression from the debut album, "Frost Music", but for better versions of the first two songs, may I refer you to the recently released "Best of the Frost", featuring dynamic live versions of "Through the Eyes of A Beetle" and "Black As Night".The rest of the songs here might be considered by some to be "throwaways", but the title cut itself, "Through The Eyes of Love"-- Dick Wagner's magnum opus and The Frost's "Stairway to Heaven"--in my mind, is THE most underrated rock song of all time. Full of drama and suspense, "Through The Eyes of Love" is a song that belongs in any discussion of Viet Nam War-era rock anthems, and one that anyone producing movies about that era should seriously consider using for a soundtrack, rather than the tired, cliched protest songs they always use by the likes of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Steppenwolf, etc. It is a song that sums up everything about that era, but also offering hope and optimism. One listen to this song, and you will agree--this song DESERVES to be heard and brought back to life, either by itself or as a re-make by a modern rock band. Personally, I have a dream that the song could get made into a music video as a sort of montage of events taking place from 1960 to 1970, starting out with peaceful scenes, and climaxing with scenes of protests, war planes, and bombings. I think it would really move people!Dick Wagner himself is possibly one of the most highly underrated songwriters, composers, and guitarists in rock, hardly ever receiving any credit for being the tunesmith on Alice Cooper's later work that he should be famous for. I think Wagner put his everything into writing "Through The Eyes of Love" and was probably highly dissapointed when it never became a hit as it should have been on FM radio. The elements that make it a great song are Wagner's dramatic chord progressions, prophetic words, and haunting vocals. All are Wagner trademarks that can be heard throughout much of his work with The Frost, but come to full bloom in this song. Add a lenthy, thrilling guitar solo, and this song could have been a metallic milestone! But Wagner's is one of the greatest rhythm guitarists in his own right, and his power chords are in themselves exciting to listen to.All I have to say is: Dick Wagner, if no other rock music fan appreciates your body of work and your musical style, let me be the first to tell you that I do. As a composer, arranger, musician, and poet of some of the greatest rock songs RARELY heard, I can't help but think that Dick might just share the same genes as the "other" famous Wagner--the 19th Century German composer, Wilhelm Richard Wagner!For buying purposes, let me just conclude by saying that this disc is worth the money for just the title cut alone. Very few albums I can say that about, but it's only because this song is not featured on any other Frost compilation (there's only one, anyway!), and besides that--the song is just that great!"